Someone I'd Never Give Up
by colouringcrayons
Summary: Lily has a list of things she wants to do before leaving Hogwarts, and James won't let her graduate without crossing at least one thing off.


_A/N: Written a while ago in response to the "Anything Anywhere Challenge" on the Forum. Enjoy!_

Location: Room of Requirements

Word (s) : Ribbon, Ice, Take

Quote (s) :If you spring me from this cell, I shall take you to the black pearl and your bonney-lass. ~Jack Sparrow

"James, where are you taking me?" Lily laughed, allowing him to drag her down the hallway, a ribbon secured over her eyes.

"You'll see," he grinned mischievously, hastily consulting the Marauder's map, looking for a clear coast. Seeing Filch dutifully distracted by Sirius, he pushed open the portrait, leading Lily through the small opening. "Watch your step, it's a bit of a high landing."

"I think watching my step is really out of the question at this point, I'm a bit out of that game – ouch! I stubbed my toe!" Lily exclaimed, her nose scrunching up, perhaps slightly exaggerating the pain.

"As attractive as you are howling in pain darling, I did tell you to watch your step," he winked roguishly, laughing at her frown. "Would it make you feel better if I also stubbed a wonderful toe?"

"Yes, I think it would," Lily grinned impishly.

"You wound me Lilyflower! And here I was assuming you'd be in hysterics at the thought of my pain. I guess there's nothing left for me besides the long jump from the Astronomy Tower," he declared, in a mock attempt at harrowing sorrow.

"You'd think that's where we were heading with all of the stairs I've been climbing," Lily groaned, dragging her steps slightly.

"Merlin Lily, you'd think I'd asked you to run a marathon! Besides, we're almost there," James smirked, bringing her to a stop in front of the Barnabas tapestry. He shut his eyes tightly, whispering the secret command for the Room to appear. The solid cherry door slowly materialized, and grasping the stolid handle, he pulled Lily in after him, giddy at the prospect of all there was left to explore.

"We're here!" James announced, grinning at the vast amounts of odds and ends that surrounded him.

"James, take the bloody blindfold off of me!" Lily remarked exasperatedly, smiling in spite of herself at the enthusiasm in his voice.

"Oh – right, sorry love," James grinned apologetically, hastily untying his handy blindfold. Slipping it into his pocket, he removed his fingers from over her eyes, allowing Lily a glance at the glittering masses of what was basically garbage, a visual history of Hogwarts' history in mischief making.

Lily's eyes widened, adjusting to the light after twenty minutes of a blindfold. But _light, _there was so much of it! Glimmers of acid coloured potions reflecting in their crystal stoppers, glints from a rather bizarre ice sculpture, flashes from fanged frisbees flapping rather pathetically around the crests of the large piles of – _junk. _

"Merlin's pants James, where the _hell _are we?" Lily exclaimed, turning to face a rabidly grinning James.

"This Lilypad, is my third favourite place in all of Hogwarts," James smirked, grabbing her hand to lead through a narrow ally of teetering shelves piled decrepit textbooks.

"Third?" Lily asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"Well of course there's the Quidditch Pitch, and your dorm room, they're difficult to beat," he sniggered, looking back to catch the glower Lily threw in his direction.

"You'd promised you'd never mention our dorm room _activities_ out loud James!" scowled a furiously blushing Lily.

"Oh don't feel bad, loads of people have done that! _Erm _- not that I would know..." he muttered, awkwardly raking a hand through his unruly hair.

Lily rolled her eyes at his flustered expression, finding his former enthusiasm both contagious and irrepressible. "Well, I suppose I can't be too angry, I did enjoy it," she whispered, a devilish tinkle in her eye as she reached up to smooth his tie.

"It _was _a lovely afternoon," James grinned, his hands dancing on the small of her back. Lily's fingers found their way around his neck, her head resting lightly on his chest.

"_If you spring me from this cell, I shall take you to the black pearl and your bonney-lass," _came a squeaking voice from behind Lily.

She froze in James' arms. "What _in merlin's name _was that?"

"Okay, don't be _too_ frightened, but I do believe that the monkey's skeleton in that cage over there is talking to me..." James trailed off, his eyes widening slightly.

"James, I am going to walk away from this area, and you will follow me," Lily dictated, frozen fear flooding the air. She turned on her heel, and pulled James along behind her, the shrieks of the trapped dead monkey dying behind them

"Wonderful plan my bonny lass, by ignoring the cries of that helpless dead monkey, we proved how truly chivalrous we Gryffindors are," James poked. "So, did you figure it out yet?"

"What?" Lily asked, lifting her head slightly to meet James' face.

"Why I brought you _here_ of course."

"Honestly dear, that's still a bit of a mystery. We're standing in the middle of a cavernous room with assorted objects that look like they were thrown here by people wanting to hide them. It's not the most obvious choice," Lily chuckled, assessing the hob nob of things around her.

"It's number four," he whispered, slipping a scrap of parchment into Lily's hands.

Eagerly scanning the piece, Lily's eyes widened. "You found this."

"Your list of things to do before leaving Hogwarts? Yes, yes I did. And for your birthday, we're going to do number four," James explained, grinning at her aghast expression.

"We're going to have a moonlight picnic in the Forbidden Forest?" Lily uttered, half afraid of James' affirmative answer.

"Er...is that what number four was...? Well I guess I meant number three then," James grinned apologetically.

"Don't feel bad darling, I'm not even sure if I could have gone through with that," Lily laughed. Quickly consulting the list, Lily spotted number three. "_Oooh, _we're going to snog in a broom closet? That promises to be fun," she grinned devilishly.

"Hand me that infernal list, but let's keep number three in mind for later," James winked. "Am I allowed to observe that it is interesting that snogging is above moonlight pinicking?" Lily swatted him. "I'll take that as a no...Here it is. Number one, I knew it was on there!"

"Change some one's life, that's number one," Lily whispered. "What do you mean James?"

"You'll see," he smiled nervously.

"Well, it still doesn't explain why we are here. Is my soon to be reformed villain hiding in one of these cabinets?" Lily asked, eyes brightening at the mystery.

"Nothing of that sort Lilypad," James laughed. "You see, this room is...special. It can transform into anything you want it to be. Close your eyes, I'll show you," he murmured.

"I'm spending an awful lot of time with my eyes closed," Lily nattered, attempting to sneak a glance under James' watchful eye.

"You're an adorable spoil sport," James chuckled. "Okay, well you _might as well _open them now."

"James –" Lily didn't know how to continue. The vast chasm of glorified junk that once surrounded was now replaced with a cozy room, lit by the cedar smelling fireplace that cast a glowing flicker in the warm cabin. "It's just...wonderful!"

James sighed in relief privately at her happiness, leading her to the table in the centre of the room. "I thought it would be appropriate if we started with dinner, seeing as I unceremoniously had you kidnapped from your seat," he grinned. "Let's start," and James opened their dinner covers with a flourish.

"And of course we'd have dessert first," she glanced at her plate. "How is it that you know exactly how I like my favourite dessert? Treacle tart, with caramel cream –"

"Warmed for a couple minutes, then whipped and served on the side? That's the magic of love dear, things like that just come to me. Also, I asked you," James chuckled.

"So you weren't writing a poem about me at all last week! You were asking those questions so you could construct the perfect date! I'll have you know, I feel thoroughly betrayed," Lily struggled not to smile.

"Well, the deception would have been avoided if possible, but if it would improve your feelings, I'll concoct one for you now?"

"No, it just wouldn't be the same, knowing that absolutely no sweat or blood had gone into it," Lily tutted.

"Lovely to know that only my suffering will keep you content," James shook his head solemnly, watching Lily pick the pecan topping off her tart, and eat it with a flourish. He realised something in a snap, glancing at his tart to see his fears confirmed.

"Er, Lily dear? Why don't we switch tarts? I've eaten my caramel, and I'd kill for some of yours," urged a suddenly nervous James.

"Darling, you still have it all, right there on your plate," pointed out a bemused Lily. .

"No' 'nee more," he managed to sputter through the cream he had hastily swallowed.

"Okay...well if it means that much to you..." Lily trailed off, taking his tart for her own. James coughed the remaining cream into his napkin, his momentary crises averted. He watched her spoonfuls intently, waiting for her to get to the bite where _it _was hidden.

"As amazing as you might think it is to watch me eat, it's becoming a little disconcerting James." He reached over, extending a finger to wipe away a dollop of cream from the side of her mouth.

"But if I didn't, who would keep you presentable?" James pointed out, lifting an eyebrow.

"I was saving that cream for later!," Lily exclaimed with a giggle. "If dinner's almost over, I guess that means we'll be moving onto number one soon," Lily wondered, collecting the last bit of tart onto her spoon.

"Maybe sooner than you think," James muttered, nervously raking a hand through his unruly hair. Lily chewed her last bite thoughtfully, savouring the tart's –

"Merlin's pants, what is that?" Having just cracked her teeth on something impossibly hard, Lily fished out the offending piece.

"Lily, you said that you wanted to change some one's life," James said, meeting her widened eyes across the table as she clutched the diamond ring from her tart. "So do it, change mine."

Finding his way to the hand not covered in sugary diamond, James continued. "This is your chance Lils, make me happier than I ever thought I could be. Marry me."

"James..." Lily was unsure where to start, she was so thrown off. "We're only seventeen, we haven't even graduated yet..."

"I know we're young, but tell me honestly that when you think about the future you're not sure that_ this_ is it for you, because I know it is for me. You're everything I would never have thought to ask for, and –"

"Yes."

"Somehow it's more perfect that I know –"

"James," Lily repeated, reaching out to flick the fringe that hung onto his forehead. "We're only seventeen, we haven't graduated and there's a bloody war being fought outside these castle doors, but the treacle and the blindfold and the candle light dinner –"

"I wanted to make it all special, and Moony said this would be a winner," he chuckled apologetically.

"Let me finish James. See, you've managed to irate me in the middle of a proposal! And that's it really, I'd rather fight with you a dozen times than smile with anyone else," Lily finished softly.

Slipping the ring onto her finger, James met her emerald eyes. "Lily Evans Potter, I think we've just started the rest of our lives," James breathed.

He leaned across the table to kiss her, revelling in the taste of treacle, the feeling of her fingers in his hair and the sense of timelessness.

"Okay Lils, let's find that list and cross off number one, and then maybe we can move onto number 3," James wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, drawing a quill out of thin air.

"How you manage to not ruin the mood with that awful joke I will never know," Lily laughed. "Besides you can throw it out, or burn the list for all I care," Lily paused, meeting James' eyes. "I've accomplished the only thing I've ever really wanted to do. I met one person that I'd never give up for anything."

_A/N: It turned out to be cheesier than I wanted, but don't hate! Review and let me know what you thought._


End file.
